Blue Jays 11 Tigers 4
It is so much fun to be a Jays fan right now. It is hard to recall a time when the team performed better for an extended period. Maybe the last couple of months of 2015.
Amazingly, after five innings, we were down 1-0.
Let’s start with how terrific Eric Lauer was tonight. Eight innings, just five hits, one earned (a Jahmai Jones home run, not crushed, 97 mph) with six strikeouts. I don’t think there is a bigger surprise on the team than Lauer. He has a 2.61 ERA now.
On offense….in the first five innings, we had just three hits. Then:
- We scored five in the sixth: George Springer took a one-out walk. Vladimir Guerrero followed with a double to left, and George came all the way around to score. Had he known how the inning would go, he could have stopped at third. Bo Bichette ground out, moving Vlad to third. The Tigers decided to walk Addison Barger. With Ernie Clement up next and a right-handed pitcher, it was an understandable move, but Clement homered (101.8 mph) 4-1 Jays. Then Joey Loperfido homered (107.2 mph) 5-1.
- Four in the seventh: Nathan Lukes popped a fly ball just inside the right-field line. Right fielder Wenceel Perez seemed to take a leisurely route to the ball. Springer ground out, moving Lukes up to third. Vlad singled, his second RBI of the game. Bo singled (hitting the ball hard up the middle, off the pitcher, deflected to the shortstop). Addison Barger (not intentionally walked this time) tripled. 8-1. Clement hit a sac fly (his fourth RBI of the game).
- Two in the eighth: Wagner singled and Lukes homered (105 mph, 420 feet).
15 hits in total. Vlad had three hits. Lukes, Clement, Loperfido and Wagner had two each. All the starters had a hit, Tyler Heinman’s hit came off a fielder pitching in the ninth.
Tigers’ starter Reese (what a silly name) Olson was excellent for five innings, but fell apart in the sixth.
Chad Green, who hadn’t pitched for a bit, gave up three runs in the ninth, not that it mattered, but he isn’t going to move himself up in the bullpen pecking order with an inning like that.
There was a scary moment. A Tigers’ popup down the right field line had both first baseman Wagner and second baseman Jimenez chased it, both were calling it, and, well, not really collided, but hit each other. Thankfully, neither was hurt, but it could have been worse. I don’t really blame either….it would have been an easier catch for Jimenez, coming at a better angle, but it was one of those that both were calling and both thought they had a shot at it.
Jays of the Day: Lauer (.157 WPA), Clement (.395), and Vlad (.228)
Other Award: Amazingly Bo had the number (-.102) for a 1 for 5.
Nathan Lukes had a -.070, even with the homer. That’s what happens when you don’t hit until after the game is out of reach.
The Jays are now 4.5 games ahead of the Yankees!
Tomorrow we have Jose Berrios (6-4, 3.87) vs. Keider Montero (4-2, 4.28).